The New Crime of Eating While Homeless

by Good German on May 26, 2013 in News
Jim Hightower, writing at OtherWords:

Whenever one of our cities gets a star turn as host of some super-sparkly event, such as a national political gathering or the Super Bowl, its first move is to tidy up — by having the police sweep homeless people into jail, out of town, or under some rug.

But Houston’s tidy-uppers aren’t waiting for a world-class event to rationalize going after homeless down-and-outers. They’ve preemptively outlawed the “crime” of dumpster diving in the Texan city.

In March, James Kelly, a 44-year-old Navy veteran, was passing through Houston on his way to connect with family in California. Homeless, destitute, and hungry, he chose to check out the dining delicacies in a trash bin near City Hall. Spotted by police, Kelly was promptly charged with “disturbing the contents of a garbage can in the [central] business district.” Seriously.

“I was just basically looking for something to eat,” he told the Houston Chronicle. But, unbeknownst to both this indigent tourist and the great majority of Houston’s generally generous citizens, an ordinance dating way back to 1942 says that “molesting garbage containers” is illegal.

Also, in 2012, city officials made it a crime for any group to hand out food to the needy in the downtown area without first getting a permit. It’s a cold use of legal authority to chase the homeless away to…well, anywhere else.

Such laws are part of an effort throughout the country to criminalize what some call “homeless behavior.” And, sure enough, when hungry, the behavioral tendency of a homeless human is to seek a bite of nourishment, often in such dining spots as dumpsters. The homeless behavior that Houston has outlawed, then, is eating.

Read more here.

I have questions

would it matter whether these garbage pails are public or private
I live on a private street where we arent allowed to have garbage out on non garbage days, there is more authority in areas of 'private' ownership,,,


if its a public pail, isnt there a risk of some legal rsponsibility if someone is harmed or hurt and would it lead to requirements for the trash to be patrolled for any dangerous substances to pre empt such litigious potential?


I actually understand the potential legal relevance for the dumpster laws

I dont know why private citizens cant choose to share their food though,,thats strange,,,,,

I hope that he got some food in jail.
Ive been told that when it gets too cold outside, some homeless will commit a petty crime to get into jail.

well, yeah,,

People like that need to be directed to shelters or soup kitchens, not criminalized. Especially if they are veterans!

thats even a better suggestion,,,,

Thanks msharmony, your posts are very eloquent & well spoken. I'm a redneck construction guy & I speak from the heart!